David Jolly Admits to 1989 Fatal Accident

Florida Republican David Jolly, who is running for Congress in an upcoming special election, said that he fatally struck a pedestrian with his car in 1989 when he was 16 years old.

"It took several years for me to get to a place of peace, but not something anybody would ever get over," Jolly told WTSP-TV in Tampa. "I'll be honest, for several years it challenged my faith. I questioned how such things could happen, but tragedy occurs."

Jolly said that the crash took place in the Tampa area while he was driving home from a movie with a friend. He hit the man who was in the middle of the road because his motorcycle had broken down. He says that he was "exonerated of any culpability."

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The Tampa television station learned of the accident from an anonymous tip. Jolly questioned the motivation of someone who would bring up such a tragedy in the middle of a political race.

"I don't know who has pushed this story, but I believe it to be a heartless individual who has clearly never lost anyone close to them or experienced such a tragedy," he said.

Jolly is running in a special election March 11 in Florida to replace the late Congressman Bill Young, who died in October.